New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Visinflavimp’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea  Impatiens  plant named ‘Visinflavimp’, characterized by its compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit; vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; and numerous bright lavender-colored flowers that are positioned above and beyond the foliage.

Botanical designation: Impatiens hawkeri.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Visinflavimp’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens plant, botanically known as Impatiens hawkeri, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Visinflavimp’.

The new Impatiens plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new vigorous and freely branching Impatiens plants with numerous large flowers and attractive foliage and flower coloration.

The new Impatiens plant originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in November, 2004, of a proprietary selection of Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number 02-177, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary selection of the Impatiens hawkeri identified as code number 03-812, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Impatiens plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled greenhouse environment in Alajuela, Costa Rica in April, 2005.

Asexual reproduction of the new Impatiens plant by terminal cuttings propagated in a controlled greenhouse environment in Alajuela, Costa Rica since June, 2005 has shown that the unique features of this new Impatiens plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Impatiens have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Visinflavimp’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Visinflavimp’ as a new and distinct cultivar of New Guinea Impatiens:

-   -   1. Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit; dense and bushy growth habit.     -   3. Vigorous growth habit.     -   4. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   5. Numerous bright lavender-colored flowers that are positioned         above and beyond the foliage.

Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens have brighter green-colored         leaves than plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens are brighter lavender         in color than flowers of plants of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Impatiens differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of plants of the new Impatiens are brighter lavender         in color than flowers of plants of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens have larger flowers than plants         of the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Impatiens can be compared to plants of New Guinea Impatiens ‘Visinflav’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 16,111. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Gensingen, Germany, plants of the new Impatiens differed primarily from plants of ‘Visinflav’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Impatiens were more freely branching than         plants of ‘Visinflav’.     -   2. Plants of the new Impatiens had larger flowers than plants of         ‘Visinflav’.     -   3. Plants of the new Impatiens and ‘Visinflav’ differed in         flower color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Impatiens plant. The photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Impatiens.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Visinflavimp’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Visinflavimp’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown in Bonsall, Calif. during the late summer and early autumn in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial New Guinea Impatiens production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 38° C. and night temperatures ranged from 16° C. to 24° C. Measurements and numerical values represent averages for typical flowering plants. Single plants were grown in one-gallon containers and had been growing for 39 weeks when the photographs and the detailed description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Impatiens hawkeri ‘Visinflavimp’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens             hawkeri identified as code number 02-177, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Impatiens             hawkeri identified as code number 03-812, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 14 days at 20° C. to             22° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 days at 19° C. to             21° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 18 days             at 20° C. to 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 21 days             at 19° C. to 21° C.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, medium in thickness; white in             color.         -   Rooting habit.—Moderately branching; moderately dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant form.—Compact, upright, outwardly spreading and             mounded plant habit.         -   Growth and branching habit.—Vigorous and freely branching             habit; about seven to eight lateral branches developing at             the base; dense and bushy growth habit; pinching, that is,             removal of the terminal apices, is typically not required,             but will enhance branching.         -   Plant height.—About 24 cm.         -   Plant diameter or spread.—About 40 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 18 cm. Diameter: About             1.1 cm. Internode length: About 2 cm to 2.3 cm. Texture:             Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 147B overlain with close             to 187B. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite or in whorls, simple.         -   Length.—About 10.2 cm.         -   Width.—About 4 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Serrulate with ciliation.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 147A.             Developing leaves, lower surface: More green than 197B.             Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Brighter green than             N189A; venation, close to 187C. Fully expanded leaves, lower             surface: Close to 197B overlain with close to N186C;             venation, close to 187A to 187B.         -   Petiole.—Length: About 1.7 cm to 2 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm.             Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color,             upper and lower surfaces: Close to 181B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single axillary flowers;             freely flowering habit; usually about six to ten flowers and             flower buds per lateral branch; flowers positioned above the             foliage and typically face outwardly.         -   Flower longevity.—Flowers last about one week under             greenhouse conditions; petals self-cleaning, gynoecium             persistent.         -   Fragrance.—Not detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Year-round under greenhouse             conditions; in the garden, flowering from spring until fall             in California; plants begin flowering about six to eight             weeks after planting.         -   Flower size.—Diameter: About 6 cm by 6.2 cm. Depth: About             3.7 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm.             Shape: Ovoid; pointed. Color: Close to 84C.         -   Petals.—Quantity/arrangement: Five per flower in a single             whorl. Length, banner petal: About 2.6 cm. Length, lateral             petals: About 2.7 cm. Length, lower petals: About 3.4 cm.             Width, banner petal: About 3.9 cm. Width, lateral petals:             About 2.5 cm. Width, lower petals: About 3.3 cm. Shape:             Cordate. Apex: Emarginate to cordate. Base: Acute. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             velvety. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 75A.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 76B. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to N74C; towards the base, close to             76D; color does not fade with development. Fully opened,             lower surface: Close to 76C.         -   Sepals.—Quantity/arrangement: Three; one modified into an             elongated spur. Length: About 1 cm. Width: About 5 mm.             Shape: Elliptical. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Obtuse. Margin:             Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous.             Color, upper surface: Close to 195B. Color, lower surface:             Close to 147C; random flecking, close to 184B. Spur length:             About 5.6 cm. Spur diameter: At flower, about 3 mm; at apex,             less than 1 mm. Spur texture: Smooth, glabrous. Spur color:             Close to 145C to 145D.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4.4 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm.             Angle: About 45° to 60° from vertical. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Close to 147D overlain             with close to 182B.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Five fused at             anthers; filaments free. Anther size: About 3 mm by 4 mm.             Anther color: Close to 155B. Pollen amount: Moderate. Pollen             color: Close to 158A. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.             Pistil length: About 5 mm. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma             color: Close to 157C. Style color: Close to 157C. Ovary             color: Close to 146C.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production have not been             observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Impatiens have not been     observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to New Guinea     Impatiens. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Impatiens have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from about 16° C. to about 30° C. 

1. A new and distinct New Guinea Impatiens plant named ‘Visinflavimp’ as illustrated and described. 